Skip to Content
Register · Login
About Theme

A Letterboxing Community

Atlas Quest
Search Edit Search

Read Thread: Missing vs. Retired Boxes

Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83741 by chadams
Apr 6, 2007 9:41am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote NOW THE KEY WITH ANY OF THESE, IS THAT THEY ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THEY ARE ACCURATE. IF PLANTERS ARE NOT KEEPING THE STAUS OF THEIR BOXES CURRENT AND UP TO DATE THEN THIS WHOLE THREAD IS A MOOT POINT. IF PEOPLE ARE MISLABLING THE BOXES IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU LABLE THEM. WHAT GOOD IS A UNAVAILABLE/MISSING/INACTIVE/ WHAT-EVER-ELSE-YOU-WANT-TO-INSERT-HERE OPTION IF PLANTERS LEAVE UNAVAILABLE/MISSING/INACTIVE/ WHAT-EVER-ELSE-YOU-WANT-TO-INSERT-HERE BOXES LISTED AS ACTIVE????? I know that people leave the hobby and there boxes might not be acurately listed but there are alot of experianced boxers who don't keep up with it either.

That's why I think finders should have some way to give each other feedback on a box. In an earlier post on the suggeston board I wrote:
I know that a lot of people don't like online logs - mostly because of the worry of spoilers - so I've been wondering if there were a way for finders to inform each other about the condition of a box and the location, without writing a log. Here's my thought, a check box list is generated when recording a find where we could mark......

Box conditions:
o everything intact and in good condition
o wet/damp
o needs new container
o needs new logbook
o stamp missing
o stamp damaged
Location:
o safety concerns
o trespassing concerns
o watch for noxious weeds (poison ivy, stinging nettle, etc.)
o wear bug spray
o key landmarks have changed

Ryan thinks the idea is "interesting" but needs to look for "holes in the idea". I wonder what others think?

I was thinking that we could also have a category for why finders think they couldn't find the box, but I think the first 2 reasons may be too subjective:
o clues appear to be incorrect
o clues were accurate, found the spot but no box
o couldn't get to box - path/area obstructed/closed

Just throwing out ideas. I would love to work out a way that finders could communicate with each other via the posted clue page, expecially when 'people leave the hobby and their boxes might not be accurately listed' or when hiders choose not to accurately list.

Just thought of another thing. At the end of the form perhaps there could be a section where the owner of the box could leave a statement/rebuttal. E.g. "I checked on the area and I'm happy to report that the tree-cutting has finished and the trail is open again. The box is active and in good shape."

What do you think?

Lone R
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83509 by Green Tortuga
Apr 6, 2007 11:14am
Thread (disabled) Board
Wow... I don't recall a thread that spread across two pages and is about to hit a third...

My only semantic comment is that I wouldn't call a Missing box (ie, one that disappeared and the planter doesn't know what happened to it) Retired because to me "retired" means that I yanked it...

What's more, I wouldn't carve a new stamp, make a new logbook, prep a new box, plant it in the same exact spot as one that went missing and change the Status on the original box from Missing to Active because it's not the same box! At the very least, chances are the stamp will be different (in that it will probably be a better carve), which to me means it's a fresh planting and deserves its own recognition.

NOW... Here's the FUNNY part!

Since everybody has their own idea of what these terms mean, and that's... okay...

... why not just change the STATUS from a pull-down menu to a editable text field like FIRST AID, only limited to, say, 16 characters??

That's TWICE as many characters as we were limited to in the old DOS "8.3" filenames!

Just think of all the status options you could impart with 16 letters:

ACTIVE
it's there
come 'n' get it!
waiting 4 u

MISSING
freakin gone
confiscated
blown up
washed away
burnt to a crisp

RETIRED
ok but not there
moved to FL
ask if you want it
made room 4 more

:-)
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83738 by Green Tortuga
Apr 6, 2007 12:22pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Retired boxes probably make more sense for being red since their status is more permanent...


I'd argue that retired should be grayed out, like a menu selection that's not an option.

Unavailable should be red, because you should stop, not go. Perhaps it'd be a good incentive for owners to change the status to "retired" if they don't have any plans to actually restore this box to active status.
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83741 by chadams
Apr 6, 2007 12:35pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Missing- Box is gone, May be replaced at some future date.
Unavailable- Box is currently unavailable but remains alive, check back soon.


I tend to agree with GT here. What's the difference between these two to the finder? Either one means don't go looking for it now, it's not there. Either one means check back later, it might be reactivated at some time in the future. Neither one provides any good idea of how long in the future that might be, since some of us are liable to replace a missing box within days while a park that is closed due to tornado damage may be closed for a year.

There may be a distinction in the planter's own mind, but there is zero distinction to the finder. Forget "Missing", if it's missing list it as "Unavailable". If it's missing and there's no chance you're ever gonna replace it, list it as "Retired". If you want to provide more info, do so in the clue listing.
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83738 by Green Tortuga
Apr 6, 2007 2:55pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote What color would you prefer?


I like the stop light connection. . .

Red - Unavailable (. . . or Missing . . . or Inactive)
Orangish Yellow - Unknown
Green - Active

Grey - Retired
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83765 by Lone R
Apr 7, 2007 1:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Box conditions:
o everything intact and in good condition
o wet/damp
o needs new container
o needs new logbook
o stamp missing
o stamp damaged
Location:
o safety concerns
o trespassing concerns
o watch for noxious weeds (poison ivy, stinging nettle, etc.)
o wear bug spray
o key landmarks have changed


Love this idea. This would be great to get responses from people that actually help.

Travel'n Turtle
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83509 by Green Tortuga
Apr 7, 2007 2:20pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I havn't had time to read all the posts on this subject. However, I thought I would check to see how my local clue list deals with boxes that are no longer in the field. Remember we have many boxes that go out for a fixed period and are then brought in as the total number in our area has a practical, if not absolute, limit.

There is no formal term used as far as can see to denote an "active" box. However in my database I use the term "current". A box that has been taken in permanently is officially described as "deleted", as in deleted from the current list. A box can be reported as "missing" before officially being deleted, also "temporarily withdrawn" if removed for any reason.

DM
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84029 by System
Apr 7, 2007 3:08pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I agree that additional status would be useful in most cases. I always make sure to update the planter/adopter when we can not find a box and give details about what we searched specifically. In most cases, I have not had confirmation on them being missing, but we just started last weekend in this great hobby, so I'm sure it will take a little more time. I plan to check on our plants when someone reports they can't find them. We will be planting some soon!
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84039 by Travel'n Turtle
Apr 7, 2007 3:12pm
Thread (disabled) Board
These are also excellent ideas for reporting things! We have found some wet/damp, full logbooks, and even a no logbook! The landmarks have changed would be really good and based on another thread I've been reading, the trespassing concerns is appropriate it seems.
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84039 by Travel'n Turtle
Apr 7, 2007 3:25pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Box conditions:
o everything intact and in good condition
o wet/damp
o needs new container
o needs new logbook
o stamp missing
o stamp damaged
Location:
o safety concerns
o trespassing concerns
o watch for noxious weeds (poison ivy, stinging nettle, etc.)
o wear bug spray
o key landmarks have changed


I would rather just get an old fashioned written note from the finder telling us what is wrong with the letterbox and what they (The Finder) were able to fix themselves.

Maybe if you really want to make it so that less is written the list could have the topics numbered so that all that would be necessary would be to submit "#A" for Everthing intact and in good condition.

Don
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84029 by System
Apr 7, 2007 3:27pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote I would find it VERY useful to know that a box is temporarily unavailable, but WILL most certainly be back or be accessable again in the future.


Yo, GT! How about this idea: Whenever a box status changes from "unavailable" to "active", a notice is sent to anyone having a search set up to provide notices of new boxes in the area?
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84051 by Kirbert
Apr 7, 2007 3:49pm
Thread (disabled) Board
QuoteI would find it VERY useful to know that a box is temporarily unavailable, but WILL most certainly be back or be accessable again in the future.

Yo, GT! How about this idea: Whenever a box status changes from "unavailable" to "active", a notice is sent to anyone having a search set up to provide notices of new boxes in the area?


HOW 'BOUT THIS........everybody double check before going to seek boxes. All this tweaking takes part of the fun out of the hunt. If I truly want to go after a box that is far from me, then I will check before I leave...be it hours or a few days. MY RESPONSIBILITY.
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #83741 by chadams
Apr 7, 2007 4:35pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote What bugs me is I have sent many notes to planters letting them know I was in the right spot without a doubt and the box wasn't there. They then should mark it as unknown until they can check on it for themselves, but don't.


I usually do this after two reports, not just one...I've been fooled too many times the other way. And, conversely, I've reported boxes missing (yes, even after all these finds) that weren't.

Finders are funny sometimes. I've had people report the stamp missing (when it was right there in the box); follow part of the mystery clues correctly and then forget and do the last little bit incorrectly, fail to find landmarks that the subsequent finder sees, and so on. Because I drop clues in weird places, occasionally people over think (mother of five, are you reading this?) when I'm not trying to be tricky at all.

To me unavailable seems VERY definitely gone; unknown suggests perhaps more mystery. I'd be less likely to label something unavailable than I would unknown. I liked unknown a lot.

dewberry
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84051 by Kirbert
Apr 7, 2007 5:47pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Whenever a box status changes from "unavailable" to "active", a notice is sent to anyone having a search set up to provide notices of new boxes in the area?


Premium members can add boxes to their "watch list" and they'll be notified automatically whenever someone changes the status of a box. =)

-- Ryan
Re: Missing vs. Retired Boxes
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84075 by Green Tortuga
Apr 8, 2007 8:59am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Premium members can add boxes to their "watch list" and they'll be notified automatically whenever someone changes the status of a box. =)

-- Ryan


Great answer! There is a whole host of neat stuff for those that plunk down some cash.

Not only do you have more functions, but you would be helping keep this site operational.

Just recently Ryan posted a note regarding the number of hits this site has received and very possibly in the future there may be a need to increase capabilities. Are you contributing your share?

Don
Premium Membership
Board: Atlas Quest Announcements
Reply to: #84166 by Don and Gwen
Apr 8, 2007 3:02pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Just recently Ryan posted a note regarding the number of hits this site has received and very possibly in the future there may be a need to increase capabilities. Are you contributing your share?


I did! Just as soon as I could afford it. Of course, by then, I was not longer able to be on as much as before... ya know.. with working and all. *grin*

Tee